Residents said the village’s infrastructure could not cope with more people.

Protester Fran Evans was worried what effect there might be on school classroom numbers, traffic and pollution.

The 37 year-old, who has two children at Hagley Primary School, said: “Lord Cobham is selling his land as one person making a decision on behalf of hundreds of people – thousands of people even – who feel really strongly they don’t want the development.

“We’re not nimbys. We don’t want anything which is going to endanger our families or that is going to jeopardise our kids’ futures.”

At one point protesters were refused access to a church on the hall’s grounds. They were later allowed through if they agreed to put down their banners.

Campaigner Beryl Serotouk said: “We weren’t sure what to expect, but we are proud and pleased that the residents of Hagley have come out in force to show their opposition to this ridiculous proposal.

“I bet the village is deserted at the moment.”

Rachel Jenkins, one of the organisers, said: “If we don’t write and object we are effectively agreeing to the site in the eyes of the planners.

“Hagley has already increased its number of homes by 12 per cent in the last ten years – does our village have to bear the brunt of further builds simply because it is a convenient way for the council to fulfil their plans and for developers to make money under the guise of creating jobs?”

Cala Homes previously said the homes would be phased over four years so any population rise would be gradual.

It also said the new development would increase traffic at peak times in the village, which has a population of 5,600, by “less than one per cent”.

The protesters marched from the community centre to the hall, at 11am yesterday.

Lord Cobham has said the money from the sale of the land to the developer was vital to guarantee the upkeep of the stately home.